.

Belen's Harvey House operated from 1910 to 1939. It had a first-class dining room and a lunchroom with a large horseshoe-shaped marble counter. The Harvey Girls lived upstairs, as did the dorm mother and the office manager and his wife.

In the 1940s, it briefly reopened during World War II, with many Harvey Girls coming out of retirement to serve troop trains. In the 1950s, it became the Santa Fe Reading Room for railroad employees, serving as a breakroom and dormitory through the 1970s.

Boarded up and readied for demolition, a campaign by citizens of Belen saved the building from being torn down. In 1982, the Santa Fe Railroad donated the building to the City of Belen and hundreds of volunteers began restoring the building.

The Harvey House reopened in 1985 as a civic center, a scattering of government and nonprofit offices and small museum. Activities took a toll on the aging building, so to ensure its preservation, it was repurposed and became completely devoted to the Harvey House Museum, which features a strong collection of railroad and Belen historical artifacts and information.

In 2013, the Valencia County Historical Society turned over management of the museum to the City of Belen.

Today the Harvey House Museum specializes in Harvey House, railroad and Southwest history as a branch of the Belen Public Library.

The museum is open to the public and boasts the best view of Belen's incredible railyard and rail history.

Location

104 North First Street

Belen, NM 87002

Hours

Tuesday through Friday, 12:00pm to 5:00pm

Saturday, 10:00am to 5:00pm

Private group tours available during off hours. Call (505) 861-0581 to schedule a tour!

The statements, views and opinions made at any of the above links are strictly those of the authors. These views may not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of the City of Belen, nor its agents, officers, directors, or employees.